ELECTRONIC PLATFORM WILL FACILITATE SOUTH-SOUTH TRADE BETWEEN ASIA, AFRICA

ELECTRONIC PLATFORM WILL FACILITATE SOUTH-SOUTH TRADE BETWEEN ASIA, AFRICA

VIENNA, 13 December (UN Information Service):  In line with the objectives set by the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), the Government of Benin and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have requested the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to develop a tailor-made electronic platform –- TICAD Exchange -– to enhance trade and facilitate the exchange of related expertise between Africa and Asia.

UNIDO was chosen on account of its success and experience in the implementation of existing mechanisms such as the worldwide UNIDO Exchange platform and national, regional and intra-regional networks such as Colombia Exchange and Mediterranean Exchange.  In addition, details for the development of a China-Mercosur Exchange Platform are being discussed and finalized.  As a sister network, TICAD Exchange will offer its participants the opportunity to interact within a new virtual community.  They will also benefit from being closely linked to all UNIDO networks, brought together by the UNIDO Exchange, including the Cleaner Production Centres, the Investment and Technology Promotion Offices, International Technology Centres and other existing UNIDO networks.

TICAD Exchange, like all exchange-based platforms developed by UNIDO, will provide reliable data to public and private actors to foster business and knowledge partnerships, thus enabling improved and mutually beneficiary market access in Asia and Africa.  This UNIDO-developed, UNDP-funded network is part of the global TICAD activities and, as such, its operations will be fully sustained within the TICAD-sponsored Asia-Africa Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

That new Chamber will regroup the national Chambers of Commerce, which will be the local focal points of TICAD Exchange.  Those focal points will be responsible for the screening of all the network participants.  In order to access detailed information, all participants must be pre-registered, a special feature that distinguishes UNIDO-enabled mechanisms from other such international community initiatives, thus ensuring the reliability and quality of its membership.  In addition to screened and validated investment and technology opportunities, the instrument will provide access to UNIDO knowledge and expertise, including data on markets, policies and regulations of different countries, best practices, case studies, etc.

TICAD Exchange is being developed at a special time, when Africa has turned its attention to information and communication technologies (ICT) as a potential source of assistance in solving its fundamental problems:  poverty, unemployment and high pressure on natural resources.  For the African Industrialization Day, held last 20 November, “New ICT” was the theme chosen by the Conference of African Ministers of Industry.

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